What historical evidence supports Saul's bold preaching in Jerusalem as described in Acts 9:28? Canonical Text Under Consideration “Saul moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.” (Acts 9:28) Internal Scriptural Corroboration Luke’s statement in Acts 9:28 harmonizes with Paul’s own testimony. Writing to the Galatians, he records a fifteen-day visit to Jerusalem three years after his conversion: “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas… I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.” (Galatians 1:18-19) The overlap—Jerusalem, the apostles, and Paul’s open proclamation—confirms Luke’s narrative from an independent pen. Acts 22:17-21 and Acts 26:19-20 show Paul recounting the same Jerusalem boldness later before hostile audiences, giving multiple attestation within Scripture. Early Church-Father Testimony Clement of Rome (c. A.D. 95) reminds the Corinthians that Paul, “having taught righteousness to the whole world… reached the farthest limit of the west” (1 Clem. 5). His reference to Jerusalem persecution echoes Acts 9:29-30. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110) calls Paul a “sanctified martyr” whose fearless preaching began immediately after meeting the risen Christ (To the Ephesians 12). Irenaeus (c. 180) cites Acts repeatedly (Against Heresies 3.15), treating Saul’s early Jerusalem witness as settled history. Earliest Manuscript Witnesses Papyrus 75 (P75, c. A.D. 175-225) contains the Lukan corpus and preserves Acts 9 intact, demonstrating the account’s circulation well within living memory of the apostolic age. Codex Vaticanus (B, 4th cent.) and Codex Sinaiticus (א, 4th cent.) transmit identical wording for Acts 9:28-30, showing text stability across geographic centers (Rome, Sinai, Caesarea). Jerusalem’s First-Century Setting Archaeological digs near the Temple Mount reveal first-century miqva’ot (ritual baths) and extensive steps accommodating large crowds—matching Acts 2 and 9 scenes of public address. The Theodotus Synagogue Inscription (found on the Ophel, dated pre-70 A.D.) confirms an established Greek-speaking synagogue network in Jerusalem, the very audience Luke tags “Hellenists” (Acts 9:29). Paul’s engagement with these Hellenists therefore fits the city’s documented demographics. External Chronological Anchors Luke links Saul’s boldness to persecution by “Hellenistic Jews.” In his next chapters he locks Paul’s career to the death of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:23, A.D. 44) and to proconsul Gallio (Acts 18:12), whose tenure at Corinth is fixed by the Delphi Inscription (A.D. 51-52). These synchronisms validate Luke’s reliability within a decade margin, strengthening confidence in his earlier Jerusalem vignette. Enemy Attestation Hints Later Talmudic fragments (e.g., b. Giṭ. 56b; ‘Abod. Zar. 17a) speak cryptically of a first-century “apostate” who “led many astray” and was sought by Jerusalem authorities. While names are veiled, scholars note parallels with Luke’s description of a hunted Paul. Even hostile sources concede an agitator matching his profile, indirectly supporting Acts 9. Archaeology of Early Christian Memory Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History 2.1) records that James the Just presided over the Jerusalem assembly. Excavations at the traditional tomb of James (Silwan, “Talpiot B”) yielded a mid-first-century ossuary inscribed “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” The early veneration of Jesus’ brother in Jerusalem substantiates an active, public church—a setting assuming earlier bold proclamation by apostolic leaders such as Paul. Harmony with Persecution Trajectory Acts 8 depicts dispersion after Stephen’s martyrdom. When Paul returns as a believer in 9:28, fear among disciples (9:26) is credible; persecution had not abated. The continuation of threats (9:29) and the brothers’ protective escort to Caesarea (9:30) align with known Sanhedrin hostility documented by Josephus (Antiquities 20.200) toward perceived blasphemers just before the revolt. Miraculous Consistency The same resurrection power that blinded Saul on Damascus Road (Acts 9:3-9) sustains his courage in Jerusalem. Luke’s motif of Spirit-induced boldness (Acts 4:31; 13:46) threads through Acts; Saul’s preaching exemplifies the pattern, reinforcing thematic and historical unity. Subsequent Ministry Footprint Within eighteen years (Acts 15:1-2; Galatians 2:1) Paul’s authority is universally recognized, impossible had his initial Jerusalem visit been timid or contrived. His unchallenged standing at the Jerusalem Council presupposes the authenticity of his earlier fearless witness among the same leaders. Conclusion Acts 9:28 stands on a convergence of internal Scripture, manuscript fidelity, archaeological backdrop, early patristic affirmation, and sociological plausibility. The compounded evidence gives robust historical grounding to Saul’s bold Jerusalem preaching and underscores the transformative reality of the risen Christ he proclaimed. |
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